Slow down, my country

http://en.youth.cn
2011-07-26 16:39:00

GO slower, China.

Don't let another train derail, a bridge collapse, or a building fall down.

Please be slower, my country. Every life has dignity, which is not to be trampled upon in an era of radical speed. But tragically, many have perished in our pursuit of speed, notably in the train crash in Wenzhou.

It's all about speed, stupid speed.

Look at our Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railways. Originally construction was expected to take five years, but how proud were we when we eventually completed it in less than three years.

Alas, we are fast indeed, but the high-speed trains are less welcome than expected. They have priced themselves out of the market, and have often succumbed to lightning.

Besides lacking a market, the high-speed trains have another cost: a huge debt. Last year, the railway ministry had to pay a debt of around 150 billion yuan (US$23.2 billion), but it had a net profit of only 15 million yuan. The total outstanding debt is 1.8 trillion yuan.